October 30th, 2023 Mark O'Brien
Some years ago, I wrote the first piece in what’s now, with the publishing of this piece, turned out to be a series. Who knew? A common expression says there are no guarantees in life. Since, as Grandpa O’Brien loved to say (among a million other things), “It’s the exception that proves the rule,” there […]
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October 9th, 2023 Mark O'Brien
Because I love true crime shows, it should come as no surprise that I love the Oxygen True Crime channel. My favorite show on the channel is New York Homicide. I love New York cops just because I love the way New York cops talk. And even if the show were a waste of 59 […]
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September 20th, 2023 Marc Joseph
According to the United States Census, 1 in 6 people in the United States are 65 and older. That compares to 1 in 20, a hundred years ago back in 1920. Social Security benefits are received by 48.6 million Americans. 10,000 Baby Boomers are turning 65 each day. Introduction Retirement is a significant life transition […]
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September 6th, 2023 Eileen Bild
You know you have met an Old Soul when you feel a deep knowledge not only through how they communicate their thoughts, but also the presence they hold. Tarzzy Metta is one of these people! He comes from Papua New Guinea with over 20 years as a creative Indie Artist. Combining his traditional tribal music […]
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August 14th, 2023 Mark O'Brien
My name is Daniel. That won’t matter to you because you won’t see me. You’ll pass me by. But you won’t see me. So, my name won’t matter to you any more than I do. But I’m Daniel, nevertheless. Image By Leroy Skalstad From Pixabay.com I can’t decide If it’s odd that you don’t see […]
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August 7th, 2023 Mark O'Brien
I have a theory. Most of my theories are now buried, layers deep, in the Great Trash Heap of Failed Ideas. But this one seems to possess some merit, to have legs as we say in the marketing biz. Try it on: Ignorance breeds fear, which breeds hatred, which breeds abuse, violence, and sometimes death. […]
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August 4th, 2023 Marc Joseph
Introduction As parents and educators, we often find ourselves wondering, “Why do kids struggle in school?” This question has been a topic of concern and discussion for generations. Every child is unique, and their struggles in the academic environment can stem from various factors. But a factor that has affected most kids today is the […]
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July 31st, 2023 Mark O'Brien
In 2013, the United Nations published a paper called, Edible insects: Future prospects for food and feed security. Since then, as climate-change hysteria has escalated and people have started talking, writing, and worrying about things like cow farts, meatless diets, and how climate change would kill cows, pigs, and sheep anyway, even if they didn’t […]
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July 17th, 2023 Mark O'Brien
On last week’s Friendship Bench, Eric Zabiegalski led us in a fascinating exploration of what it means to — as is the title of his book — Unthink. During the conversation, Eric mentioned Iain McGilchrist’s notion of betweenness; that is, McGilchrist’s contention that we need to live between the increasingly over-dominant left hemispheres of our […]
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July 10th, 2023 Marc Joseph
According to UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund), only a third of 10-year-olds globally are able to read and understand a simple written story, which means that 64% are unable to cover the minimum proficiency in reading comprehension. This is up from 52% pre-pandemic. Obviously not going to school during the pandemic interfered with the […]
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