Thoughts jotted down on the computer by Eric Niewoehner.
I don’t know about you, but I think the word “blog” is a bit “blah.” It sounds like something from a 1950’s sci-fi B-rated black and white movie. “The Blog!” Back in the 80’s and 90’s they were called “Op-Eds”, or opinion pieces or editorials. But then came the Internet and the advent of a new language.
I consider my opinion pieces to be “thinking out loud.” Face it. Most of what we write begins with us running or walking and talking to ourselves. So it is with my “blogs.” While much of what I write reflects a particular view point which you may or may not agree with, the important thing to me is that I am “thinking.” You just happen to have the benefit of reading what I think. Like much of what we think about, our ideas are continually being tested. We often have certain notions and must struggle with how they apply to the world about us — or even more fundamentally, should they apply at all.
I hope you find the articles on this page enjoyable and insightful. Your comments are always welcome.
Complete Listing of Articles
- Shutdown — Lay-offs: A Game Changer
Lay-Offs? You Can’t be Serious. In a previous article I shared the perspective of a federal employee going through a typical government shutdown experience. But this time there is one huge difference – the prospect of actual lay-offs. No furloughs. Just plain, old fashion, termination. That’s a real game changer at many different levels. But… - Government Shutdown — A Federal Employee’s Perspective
Another government shutdown. What’s it like to work for free? Or is a furlough nothing more than a government handout? When I started writing this article, a government shutdown was looming. During my second edit, the shutdown began. By the time it gets posted, it may hopefully be old news, with the shutdown ended. Things… - Saving Cracker Barrel
Is the Cracker Barrel we had loved going to vanish? The Crisis Cracker Barrel has had unwanted attention in the past few weeks with its “woke” changes going viral. Once again, loyal customers were being subjected to another marketing disaster, all in an effort to “broaden our customer base.” News services and podcasters were declaring… - The Art of Massacre
A photojournalist wins Picture of the Year award of the October 7th massacre. Is he a terrorist? An artist? Or both? - Privilege and the Politics of Envy
It is said that the worst kind of politics is that of envy. Envy destroys the joy of life, because instead of you living your own life, you are always endeavoring to seize the life of another. - Anatomy of a Fraudulent Health Care Claim
False claims are a constant problem for health insurance providers, whether private or government. That a fraudulent health care claim happens is no surprise. But the process by which it happens will provide you with some insights by which you can protect yourself and advance the cause of everyone else. - Stranger than Fiction — The Case of Mary Fulp
On January 18, 2023, Alaska’s Principal of the Year, Mary Fulp, was forcefully removed from her home, admitted to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, subjected to psychiatric testing, tied to a gurney, and injected with psychotropic medication1. The chain of events that unfolded could provide the basic ingredients of a sci-fi horror tale. In the world of non-fiction, it was a personal nightmare for Mary Fulp. It also opened up a constitutional hornets nest. - Social Security – When Will America Face Reality?
No issue faces more political posturing than social security. The Democrats incessantly accuse Republicans of wanting to end, or destroy social security. “They are after your retirement.” Republicans insist that no one is going to destroy your retirement security. But they offer solutions with fear and trepidation because each time they make the attempt, they are destroyed in the media and the results often show up in elections. - Is Juneau Running Out of Diesel?
In their obsession with windmills and solar panels, government bureaucrats and university analysts have overlooked a million details. - The Tragedy of Russia
What is the soul of Russia? A nation which endeavors to be modern seems to have one foot anchored in the dark past of tsarist Russia. - The Mail-In Ballot Experience
Mail-in-ballots are certainly convenient. But the process raises several concerns. - The Debt We Owe
Alaska’s Congressional Race and the National Debt - The Solution to Paying Off Student Debt
It is interesting to note how in the real world loans work. According to the Fed, non-performing loans in the real world rest at about 1%! Yet student loans are at 23%! It is clear that the student loan market is highly distorted. The objective is to re-introduce reality into the student loan marketplace. - Student Debt: Are Colleges to Blame?
A deeper look at how colleges have escalated the cost of education, making it difficult for students to avoid debt. - The Problem of Student Debt
A blanket forgiveness is simply throwing money away and undercutting the millions who attend college for the right reasons, who pursue higher education intentionally, without the help of handouts. It undercuts one of the critical principles of a free economy – accounta - Fighting Inflation – A Trip to the Grocery Store
How do you win the fight against inflation? One battle at a time. Today’s lesson is a trip to the grocery store. - Ukraine – Poland 1939 All Over Again
The strange resemblance between Ukraine in 2022 and Poland in 1939. An historical perspective on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. - The Case of Lorie Smith
Can a web designer be compelled to create content? - Adults in the Room
What this country needs are courageous adults, people who are willing to stand up and tell people the truth – and do it courteously and respectfully. - Broken: Is Public Education Beyond Repair?
Is Public Education Beyond Repair? The controversy over critical race theory has peeled away several layers of our society that, like an onion, can only bring tears. - Transparency and Critical Race Theory
Transparency implies a desire to be truthful. It assumes that the adults in the room have the confidence to calmly discuss issues. It assumes that where two people disagree, they can still respect one another. CRT cannot stand up to that test because the more it is investigated, the darker it be - The New Wave
In order for a democracy to survive it must have an informed electorate. That is why the freedom and health of the press is vital. - The Pro Act and YouTube
The Pro Act ads are giving us a taste of what is to come, indicative of how bad it is going to get when we have elections coming in 2022. It will, in essence, ruin YouTube. Like most everybody in Alaska I have been subjugated to endless ads for or against the Pro Act. The Pro… - When Few Were Watching
What does the colonial resistance to the Stamp Act of 1765 teach us? Discover the British perspective and their view (not ours) of our defense of liberty. - Open Letter to Major League Baseball
As an American, I find the strong-arm bullying of MLB to be offensive. It is not the business of baseball to dictate to the American public how it governs itself. It is the decision of the people of Georgia. It is democracy. Live with it. - Tribute to Rush Limbaugh
His piercing intrusion into the news establishment was desperately needed. His success would set the foundation of the Fox News network that would appear in the late 90’s. What would follow in the decades to come would be an arsenal of conservative opinion and news sources. - Why Parler?
Elements of the Internet have obviously evolved to the status of “common carrier”. What was done to Parler violates, fundamentally, the principle of free speech. But it also demonstrates the monopolistic power of what is coined as Big Tech: Apple, Google, Amazon and an array of powerful Internet companies that can erase your existence on the Interne - Transparency
Now we have the Internet – where will it lead? Will we be mature enough, as a society, to handle the ongoing presentation of raw information? Will reactionary mobs be the norm, or can we engineer a system of governance that can more effectively respond to raw information? - Fake News Update
You, and no one else, are the best protection against fake news. Educate yourself. - Solution to Fake NewsA continuation of an earlier discussion on Fake News. How is the best way to identify it and to fight it?