To be a scientist, I was trained to think in a specific way. Namely to make a hypothesis, gather data, analyze the data for a conclusion, and then to confirm or correct your hypothesis, and repeat. Being a human, I make mistakes and encounter situations where prevailing beliefs (mine, a team, an industry) could be discovered to be flawed. When a round of testing shows a hypothesis is in error or produces results we don’t understand we pause. We…..
When Roger Williams was banished he set out alone into a blizzard in a harsh New England winter. He would survive to separate church and state in a brand new settlement that would become Rhode Island. Roger Williams wrote little that has survived about his 14 week winter stay in the wilderness of New England. The resulting absence of fact has led to a plethora of theories. There are many alternatives to the one in the novel Rekindled. What we do…..
When I was young my grandmother watched the first step on the moon with me on our black and white TV. She did not believe it was occuring. She thought it was staged. I was certain it was true and the most exciting thing I would see in my whole life. Now a NASA team discovered evidence of brine — indicating contemporary liquid water on MARS. It is even more exciting than Neil Armstrong’s first steps. Why? Liquid water on earth almost…..
The Toronto Word on the Street festival was a hectic heads down exercise in focusing on the people that showed up with little time for long conversations. I was humbled by the diversity of the people that showed up to greet me. Thanks so much for the warm reception to a brand new city where I thought I didn’t know anyone! One person asked “Who Supports You?” I know what she meant — she meant the question in terms of a sponsor……
Roger stood in the 1600’s for life and liberty. Since the 1700’s we’ve believed in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The goal of happiness may spawn from an increased focus on the individual, a focus that took a big step forward with Christ’s recognition of each soul as valuable. However individualism did not fully flower until after Roger Williams was gone. It seems now that happiness has overtaken life and liberty as the most sacrosanct goal. If we…..