by admin | Nov 5, 2024 | Activism, Books, Crime, Government, History, Immigration, Personal history, Political philosophy, Public policy, Public safety, Russia
Some time in 1997, I undertook a reading experiment I have never regretted, which was to begin to read, sequentially, biographies of U.S. presidents. I am not sure exactly when I picked up Cincinnatus: George Washington and the Enlightenment by Garry Wills, but it...
by admin | Sep 3, 2024 | Activism, Books, Christianity, Civil rights, Crime, Government, History, National security, Politics, Racism, Religion
Donald Trump has an Achilles heel that sticks out like a sore thumb. Yes, I may be flirting with cuteness by using a mixed metaphor. But think about it. This man who so desperately wants to be seen as tough, even invincible, has created his own massive psychological...
by admin | Aug 12, 2024 | Careers, Coronavirus, Disaster, Disaster Recovery, Government, Hazard Mitigation, History, Hurricanes, Natural Hazards, Parks, Recreation, Resilience, Retirement, Urban Planning, Water
Let’s try to imagine: You are the chief executive officer for a 1,300-acre public park in New Orleans, the largest in the city, although it does not belong to the city. It is incorporated under the state of Louisiana. You spend the weekend of Friday, August 26, 2005,...
by admin | Jul 28, 2024 | Activism, Aging, Civil rights, Crime, Government, History, Political philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Public policy
A few days ago, I sent the following Letter to the Editor to the Chicago Tribune: I read in today’s Tribune that Republican leaders are asking party members to avoid engaging in racism and sexism in attacking Vice President Kamala Harris. Good luck. From what I have...
by admin | Jul 7, 2024 | Business, Chicago, Climate, Cooking, Economics, Energy Conservation, Environment, Government, Public health, Public policy, Technology
Just a month ago, I encountered a problem my wife had previously experienced in April while I had been out of town. At that time, puzzled by why our gas oven seemed not to work, she had to wait until I returned from a conference in Minneapolis and teaching a FEMA...
by admin | Mar 8, 2024 | Chicago, Christianity, Climate, Energy Conservation, Environment, Government, Infrastructure, Public policy, Renewable Energy, Resilience
Almost all content on this blog is written by me. On rare occasions, I have hosted a guest writer when I decided it was appropriate. In this case, I am sharing an announcement from my own church, which is entering an agreement with the City of Chicago for a grant to...