(What) do you believe? v.6

It is said that opposites attract. That popular notion is being sorely tested these days, as we appear to be living in a time when polarities rule, where being opposite, indeed, in opposition, is informing our opinions in significant ways. We see this phenomenon politically,...

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What two weeks in Japan taught me about walls

My wife and I just returned from a two-week vacation in Japan. The trip took us from Tokyo through the Japanese countryside, where we stayed in Ryokans: the small, country inns that capture the traditional essence of rural Japan. A few days later, we wound up in Kyoto...

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What do you believe?

Welcome to the believing season, otherwise, known as "the Holidays." It's a time of year when we give ourselves permission to believe in, and be grateful for many things in our lives -- a close family, dear friends, snow-driven evenings; whatever aspects of our lives...

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The crisis crisis

Reading about Rutgers University's ongoing athletic department scandal, leads me to conclude that we're into a protracted crisis season, a time when crises are showing up all over the place. The list is long. Here (along with Rutgers) are a few of my recent favorites. The...

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What exactly is the ethnic vote?

I just heard a commentator - it is now 7:30 pm EST, Tuesday, election day - say that it's important to assess the "Asian-American" vote as a harbinger of the election. What the heck is that and how do you calculate it? If Suzie Chow,...

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