Monthly Archives: December 2012

Blog Annual Report

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Roger Walck

The WordPress Annual Report on this blog registers 4,800 views from 63 countries during 2012.  You can read the full version at https://rwalck.wordpress.com/2012/annual-report/ RWalck@Verizon.net

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Alien Cultures

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Roger Walck

On our recent cruise through Polynesia, I was fascinated by observing close-up an alien culture, totally foreign to my own.  Not the Polynesians, whose life I could understand, but by what I call the “Cruisers,” those people who perpetually go … Continue reading →

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The Cruise

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Roger Walck

So, let me tell you about my cruise.  (You will note I have a firm grasp on your wrist.) We had never been on a cruise and thought we should see what it is all about.  One of my college … Continue reading →

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Our Local News-Journal

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Roger Walck

Back home after a three week absence and I eagerly open our familiar old newspaper.  I see the printed apology, “The Harry Themal column printed Dec. 17 was the same published the previous week.  This was an editor’s error.”  (Harry … Continue reading →

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South American Justice

Posted on December 22, 2012 by Roger Walck

The BBC website had an article on the discovery of a trove of documentation on atrocities worthy of the Gestapo committed by a former Paraguayan dictator.  I do not mean to trivialize the enormity of what the dictator did, but … Continue reading →

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Wordiness

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Roger Walck

The second most frequent agent of wordiness in business writing, Burger tells us (see 7/27 posting) is “Pointlessly Saying What Goes Without Saying.”  We easily slip into the habit of providing information that the reader already knows, can easily surmise, … Continue reading →

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The Worst Chemical In the World

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Roger Walck

People would occasionally ask me what was the worst chemical I had ever worked with.  My first thought was always an evil mixture of hydrofluoric and nitric acids widely used in the semiconductor industry to dissolve silicon metal.  Both acids … Continue reading →

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Prayer

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Roger Walck

I occasionally ask friends who are of a religious bent if prayer is always in the form of a conversation with God.  Does prayer ever have any other form?  Is any other form possible?  Some are surprised by the very … Continue reading →

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The Nature of Prayer

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Roger Walck

Aldous Huxley in his book The Perennial Philosophy discusses four kinds of prayer common in all religions: Adoration.  Praising the deity. Petition.  Asking for favors. Intersession.  Asking favors for someone else. Contemplation.  Meditating on the nature of the deity—the Godhead, … Continue reading →

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