The Myths  1. The rally at Baltimore City Hall on Saturday was peaceful Local and national politicians and media waxed poetic about how beautiful and peaceful was this exercise of the right to demonstrate. I attended the rally, and the rhetoric from the podium was a mix of calls to …

First, let me start by reiterating that we don’t cover celebrity gossip at ThoughtWidget; nor do we engage in celebrity worship. However, the revelations about actor Ben Affleck’s slave-holding ancestor are a multi-faceted commentary on politics and the news media. It was revealed this week that Affleck asked Henry Louis …

Iran will continue its program to develop nuclear weapons because its leaders are convinced it is in their interest.   At the very least, nukes will give the Islamic Republic a level of security it has not had during the 36-year standoff with its two primary antagonists: the United States and …

…if you want to be taken seriously. The words you choose will determine how others evaluate your intellect. It matters in almost any interaction you have outside of a close personal relationship. This includes your workplace and any interaction with someone you don’t know well. I’m not going to address …

The telling of personal stories has been an important aspect of human communication since before the development of complex language. Sharing one’s experiences is an integral part of personal relationships. It is typically one the first subjects that friends or acquaintances discuss when meeting (“How are you? What have you …

At today’s memorial service in Cologne, Germany for those killed in the March 24 Germanwings crash, the pilot (whose name I will not mention) was the object of expressions of sympathy and understanding.  While I’m not in favor of a condemnation of anyone at this type of service, it would …

The recent intentional crash of Germanwings flight 9525 by a suicidal pilot demonstrated for the second time in the past year the risks associated with having humans completely in control of an airliner.  The German co-pilot of flight 9525 committed suicide and the mass murder of 149 others when he locked …

Yesterday’s crash landing of a gyrocopter on the Capitol lawn again exposed security vulnerabilities in the area of the National Mall.  The pilot, identified as Doug Hughes, claims to have flown his craft from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, about 65 miles away.  Upon his arrival in DC, he buzzed the White House and …