Kellyanne Conway, Counselor to the President, on “Meet the Press” suggested that the Trump administration will rely on alternative facts when objective reporting does not suit their needs. Clearly, this is nothing new for most politicians, the pharmaceutical industry, tobacco companies, weight loss plans, and advertising in general. On the other hand, I wonder if… Continue reading
President George Washington proclaimed the first Thanksgiving on October 3, 1789, calling on the citizens to place their faith in “the providence of Almighty God,” and to be thankful for what was given to them. President Abraham Lincoln acknowledged the plight of the most vulnerable, declaring a “day of thanksgiving, on which all citizens would… Continue reading
Every day I am assaulted with requests to take a survey. At the grocery store, hardware store, office supply store, gas station, and restaurants I am admonished to take a survey about how we are doing. It will only take a minute. You can win something you really don’t want or need and in rare… Continue reading
I am surrounded by millennials. Many of you may have noticed them, they are the adults walking around with a cell phone permanently attached to one of the hands. These people are an exotic and understudied part of American society. As a retired anthropologist I see this as an unprecedented opportunity to observe the behavior… Continue reading
We have sailed right through the spring equinox, and heading perilously toward the summer solstice. This is the season to which so many look forward. Warmer temperatures, emergence of new vegetation, and the final melting of that grey sludge that forms on the curbs of cities in the northeast. Weather reporters tout the beauty… Continue reading