Fruitful Detours
Statistics can be misleading. Marketers have become adept at using numbers to make their case, but we still need to be careful about how we interpret what they are telling us. In 2007, Colgate toothpaste was all over the media telling us, “80% of dentists recommend Colgate.” That was what the ads said. The number […]
Some of the most wonderful discoveries in science have been as a result of our being able to see things that are smaller than are possible to see with the naked eye. When I was studying biology as an undergraduate, I loved looking through a microscope at different kinds of cells. The cells were amazingly […]
The Rev. James M. Lawson, Jr. died on June 10, 2024. I met him once. He was giving a speech, and I was a student. I remember him as a powerful and engaging speaker. When we talk about the Civil Rights movement, there are many names that come up — Martin Luther King, Jr., of […]
Callings are hard to understand. They defy logic. When I felt a calling to become a pastor, it was contrary to anything else that I was considering. I had a successful career in finance, and by all rights I should have stayed on that track. There are days when I wish that I had — […]
Don’t get me wrong. I love people. Mostly. There are a few that I really dislike, and that makes me feel guilty. Am I a bad person for not loving everyone? I’m getting off track. Let me start again. I love people. I enjoy being with them, I like parties (when everyone is not a […]
I’ve been enjoying watching the Olympics on TV. It brought to mind some of the stamps I saw when I was a kid. I am not a stamp collector, but my Dad always had a bunch of stamps around. He wasn’t a collector either, exactly (he liked coins more), but he was thrifty, and purchased […]
I spent the last few days at a training for United Methodist Mission Volunteers. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I had the germ of an idea that I could use my interest in learning Spanish to help others somehow. As I searched for non-profits to work with, I […]
I really like TED Talks (TED stands for technology, education, design). I have watched very few that were not really engaging, and I almost always learn something from them. Here are a few of my favorites. There. That should keep you busy for a few interesting hours.
I’m confused. What we eat is so important, and yet I don’t think there is any subject that has so much conflicting information. For years, eggs were out. The cholesterol was bad for you. Now they are back. They are a healthy source of protein. Then they (all the self-described experts) said that we should […]
As Hurricane Beryl was roaring through the Caribbean toward Mexico and then Texas, I watched the news with the realization that I don’t know much about these storms. So I decided to see what I could find out. The word “hurricane” comes from the name of the Mayan god Hurakan, who blew his mighty breath […]