Outside The Box

We can understand the basics of how the brain works by thinking of it as a kind of difference engine. The brain processes a continuous flow of data from the senses, as well as data from its own internal functions, and it interpolates. It assumes, averages, fills in the blanks. This is why optical illusions … More Garbage In, Garbage Out

But the national mind is not healthy. We have a splitting headache, and we’re beginning to think we might be bipolar. … More Got No Soul

The number of Americans who have died in battle since the Revolutionary War is 657,946. When we look at that number printed on the page in black in white, it does not cry out. It does not tell the stories of the men and women who died. It does not speak of the bravery and the … More A Sailor’s Story

Faced with a choice between being ignorant or being depressed, the bliss of ignorance begins to look more attractive. Being informed is hard work, and since fact can also lead to cognitive dissonance, it doesn’t always make us feel good. Being entertained is much easier. Nevertheless, some of us still prefer knowledge. Peddlers of media … More Shocking

How do we measure success? Popular culture has an answer, and we are all too familiar with that. But there is a better answer, and no finer example can be found than the life lived by our friend, Joe Anderson, of Upper Hightower. Joe passed away last Friday at the young age of 84. Mothers cherish those … More A Successful Life

When my father was a child, there was a remote spring in the mountains alongside a forest road traveled by horse and wagon or on foot. Travelers would sometimes water their horses at the spring, or take a drink and rest awhile in the shade of the tall chestnut trees. The spring was tiled with … More Click “Like” for The Earth

We’ve taken a much needed break from writing about political things here. It’s better for our mental and digestive health that we do so. But today we couldn’t resist a brief return to the bread and circuses. We’ve been feeling a little better about politics lately. No, politics has not changed, but we have redefined … More Idealism is a Hothouse Flower

It was Sunday afternoon and we were waiting to turn right onto a divided highway. Vehicles kept coming in the right lane just frequently enough to extend our stay at the intersection. “It doesn’t look like anyone is going to give us a break,” my wife said, “but we’re not in a hurry.” “It’s a … More The Oxen are Slow, but the Earth is Patient