We hear a lot of talk about healing lately, a lot of calls for civility and unity. However, it’s not really possible at this moment in our nation’s history. Why not? Because this isn’t a recent problem caused by one campaign season. It’s a descent into division that began after WWII and has only worsened since. We have become ever more tribal, belonging to one party or the other, and we’ve chosen to believe the shouters on our side who ...

When is the right time to give up? When is it okay to stop banging your head against the wall? Well, if you’re literally banging your head against a wall, I’d say you’re allowed to give up pretty much immediately. One knock of your noggin against the old plaster and you ought to have society’s blessing to move on to something else. But most situations aren’t so clear cut. When should the middle-aged actor/poet/writer seeking to make it in the ...

I’ve published 7 novels now and I’m sometimes asked which is my favorite or which one is the best. That’s sort of like asking a parent which child is the favorite. For most parents, that’s a question they’re unlikely to answer. With books, there’s no one to offend. And yet, it may not be possible for me to ascertain which of my books is my favorite or the best. The four books in my Susquehanna Virus science fiction series – ...

Ever notice how ads target our emotions? I mean, they never just give us the facts. Instead they play on our hopes or fears or greed. Take SUVs, for example. They show people driving through forests and across streams, pulling up to the beach at sunrise with a surfboard on top. Yes, that’s exactly what I would do with my SUV – get a surfboard and take it to the oceanside or the Minnesota mountains. Or medication. They show us ...