Texas Hospitals Honor Veterans in Final Salute Program

Our next door neighbor was at the Dallas Presbyterian Hospital this past week visiting his wife and while he was there the staff starting lining up on either side of one particular hallway. He wasn't sure what was going on, but then a gurney emerged from one of the nearby rooms. The person on the gurney had died and was covered with a sheet . . . and the American Flag. A patient who happened to be a Veteran had died and the hospital staff, as well as visitors who were there, were paying their respects and saluting this deceased Vet as he was being wheeled down the corridor.

The Final Salute Program was created by Chaplain James Dorsey and Texas hospitals who are associated with the Texas Health Organization  participate in this program. Be sure to visit the linked article to find out more about this awe-inspiring program.

This is just one of those things that make Texans proud.



Rich Glasgow

Critical Thinking for Dummies

Are we at a time and place when critical thinking has become an anomaly? Sure seems like it. It's not being taught or encouraged in public schools or liberal arts colleges. What IS being taught is the Leftist agenda of "social justice," global warming/climate change, "renewable/sustainable energy" (which is not sustainable because it cannot exist without government subsidies,) national health care, open borders, sanctuary cities and states, globalism, increased taxation, and a never ending burgeoning central government, ad infinitum, ad nauseam.

Combine that with the apparent death of common sense over the years and you have a seriously "dumbed-down" population.

Additionally, way too many people don't have the intellectual curiosity to learn the truth about current events, politics, news and information, and even religion. Is this societal scenario the zeitgeist liberal academicians and politicos have hoped for and planned for generations to gain control over an easily swayed and indoctrinated working class who eagerly vote for more "stuff" from an all powerful big federal government?

Leftists are still in the minority, but with the help of the vociferous "mainstream" media, they seem to be the vocal majority. The rest of the country goes to work, minds their business, and wants America to be a decent and prosperous place while paying little attention to the radical Left. Still, we're nearing a potential tipping point with numerous scenarios developing at the drop of a (MAGA) hat when mindless rent-a-mobs bent on hate and violence are called to action by community organizers for the sole purpose of creating chaos and disorder.

Maybe if there were more critical thinkers in our midst who happened to be activists, we wouldn't have so much disarray.

Critical thinking needn't be all that complicated but it does involve utilizing some common sense, which may need to be resurrected.

Remember back in the 60's when the antiestablishmentarians questioned authority and distrusted anyone over 30? Yeah . . . well those guys are the ones in academe, media, and big government and the last thing they want now is for anyone to question anything they do.

So what is critical thinking all about?

There's a good piece at the The Foundation for Critical Thinking which defines Critical Thinking and I recommend exploring that site. Here's their succinct synopsis on the topic:

Why Critical Thinking?

The Problem Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed or down-right prejudiced. Yet the quality of our life and that of what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically cultivated.

A Definition Critical thinking is that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, or problem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and 
imposing intellectual standards upon them.

The Result A well cultivated critical thinker:

• raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely;
• gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards;
• thinks openmindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and
• communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.

Critical thinking is, in short, self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem solving abilities and a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism.  

(Taken from Richard Paul and Linda Elder, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools, Foundation for Critical Thinking Press, 2008)

Rich Glasgow

"Build a Wall and Crime Will Fall"

President Trump's new rallying cry, Build a Wall and Crime Will Fall! Ya just gotta love it! The haters' heads will explode as they hear what POTUS tweeted, "Use it and pray!"

Less Social Media . . . More Blogging

My self-imposed abstinence from social media is into its second week and it's going pretty well. Oh, sure, I miss being in touch with new and old FB buddies, but I wouldn't have imagined how much extra time it has freed up from my day. I've been able to spend way more time giving attention to my growing stack of must read books

What I missed most during this Facebook/Twitter deprivation was finding, and commenting on interesting ditties and sharing them, which is what I used to do regularly on this blog. I gave in to the misconception that blogging gave way to Twitter and Facebook and there was little need to keep an active blog. So, Isn't It Rich became rather dormant these last few years.

Well, my little vacation from social media has juiced up my will to keep this blog alive after realizing I missed writing about whatever happened to grab my interest on any given day. I've always loved to write even though it takes effort and that pesky writer's block is never far away.

It's hard to believe but I've been blogging here since August of 2004 and this is my 2474th blog entry! Over the years there have been nearly half a millions page views from all over the world. That's an amazing amount of exposure for a microscopic citizen journalist. I could never get that kind of international exposure on Facebook or Twitter. So there you go!

It's good to abstain from habitual ruts from time to time; if for no other reason than the self-satisfaction of knowing you can do it. For me, social media was taking far too much time and this has been a welcome break.

Will I be returning to Facebook and Twitter? Of course, but hopefully on a more limited basis so I can concentrate on what I love to do right here.



Rich Glasgow