Embedded Files
Personal Principles
A manager that I admired (not one of mine, unfortunately) once had himself and his charges write up succinct principles by which they conducted themselves. I thought this to be a great idea, and composed my own set. That was in August 1994, but I'm pleased that they still hold. Read more .
Peak Experiences
These have been transforming, highly emotional and highly memorable events in my life, in no particular order. Read more .
Thoughts on Men and Fathers
A man and father's lot, like the Gilbert & Sullivan policeman, is not always "an 'appy one". Read more .
Age has some Privileges
There was a wonderful cartoon in the June 14, 1999 issue of the New Yorker magazine, reproduced here, with the text: "I think I've acquired some wisdom over the years, but there doesn't seem to be much demand for it." Read more .
Art Hoppe – Newspaper Columnist
Most newspapers now have an op-ed page, where writers can present personal opinions and analyses rather than straight news, with their own blend of seriousness or humor, or both. There they can be advocates for a cause, pontificate, or just explore the human condition.
Although there are many better-known ones, one of the best, and one of my favorites during my 1966-68 stay in the Bay Area, was Art Hoppe of the San Francisco Chronicle. "Was", because he died in 2000. He was an early opponent of the Viet Nam war in the 1960s, writing a series of columns that always began with "It was in the 43rd year of our lightning campaign to wipe out the dread Viet-Narian guerillas in West Vhhhtnnng. ....", skewering the foolishness of the war effort with his fictional characters and incidents.
Trying to remember that phrase led me contact him in the late '90s for the correct wording and, to my delighted surprise, he responded to my Email (reproduced here, charming typos and all). From that time to his death, I never missed his column, and also searched out older ones in the newspaper archives.
His humor was of a gentle sort, of the sort to make us smile and laugh at our own foibles and those of the self-important types like politicians, but always with insight and some wisdom. But there would also be deeply serious columns, unleavened by humor, against the death penalty or questionable governmental actions.
One of his greatest columns was titled "To Root Against Your Country" about the insanity of that war. Read the article .
A loving tribute by his son, Nick Hoppe, transcribed from the S F Chronicle – read it here.
Language: The Briar Patch of Usage
Language is the biggest, although not the only tool for communication. It's often imprecise; we may try to make it precise through definitions and prescribed usage like legal jargon, but it becomes either elusive or incomprehensible to the uninitiated. And when we get lazy and stop thinking while using language, then we fall back on clichés. Here then are some of my observations of language abuse – which is to say, those mis-usages which annoy me the most. Which is not to say that I'm immune to language errors. Read more .
Millions of Years of Evolution ... and we've come to this
A feature dedicated to showcasing events and beliefs that give lie to the idea that mankind has evolved as an intelligent species. I suspect that religion and pseudo-science will be major contributors. After all, let's not forget astrology, UFOs, feng shui, and people that still believe in a flat earth. Read more .
My Favorite Painting
There's an astounding painting by Domenico Ghirlandaio in the National Gallery in Washington, one of a Madonna and Child. It radiates such beauty and peace, portrayed by fine and lifelike detail of both figures. If there's only one painting that I'd like to own, it would be this one.
"Madonna and Child," c. 1470/1475, by Domenico Ghirlandaio, tempera on panel.
Apparently the U S Postal Service thought highly of it too.
Burma Shave Signs
A wonderful piece of nostalgia. How lucky are those of us who saw them on the road. Here's a site with a substantial selection: https://fiftiesweb.com/pop/burma-shave/
My favorite road sign (in Cambridge) ...
... from someone who didn't understand whatever elementary physics he might have taken back in his school days.
So what's wrong with the picture of the truck hitting the overhang?
More physics
The same people are probably the ones wearing black clothing on a sunny, hot summer day, without knowing that black is a wonderful heat absorber (aka blackbody).
Updated Nov. 28, 2025
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse