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Recently I have been reflecting deeply about my previous work experience many years ago for the giant corporation called Monsanto.  In 1994, a personal time of underemployment and high risk taking by myself, I found a way to be paid for making an educational and promotional documentary in the mountains of central Mindanao island in…

I am interested to apply the values and practice of the 8-fold path to the constant process of parenting.  This article is helpful for building basic knowledge. https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/

TO AM304 Students This week some of you expressed interest in the music that was being played before class. It is called Konnakkol and the recording I played was from the Karnataka College of Percussion.  I will try to play more examples of the College’s recordings in the future. If you want to know more about Konnakkol then be sure to…

One of my all-time heroes, Benjamin Franklin, was 20 when he designed a list of 13 virtues that he felt could lead him to moral perfection. This is an interesting read about Franklin’s virtues.  CLICK HERE Personally, I appreciated the usefulness of the chart illustrating Franklin’s virtues in comparison with Bushido and Aristotelean virtues. I think…

Is America declining?  This is a question that we are compelled to consider. READ HERE According to the Brookings Institution, here are the arguments in favor of America as a place of positive growth, not decline: First of all, it is difficult to determine at present whether the difficulties faced by the United States during…

Today I appreciated the notion of home in a deeper way.  I am in Bangkok at this time.  When I come home to Bangkok for teaching at Ramkhamhaeng University my home away from home is SC Park Hotel in Bangkok.  It is located in the heart of massive urban sprawl with an interesting presence of…

Sato–my new favorite drink as I scour Bangkok Thai Rice Wine

EVIDENCE OF ELLINGTON’s GENIUS WITH WIND INSTRUMENTS LISTEN: THE MOOCHE One of the most wise and effective teachers I ever had was Maestro Mehli Mehta.  Maestro Mehta said very wise things most of the time, but this one gem was particularly great.  He said “there are three great composers for wind instruments.  Mozart (no dispute),…

I need to be reminded sometimes that reading is the other half of better writing. 10 reasons for writers to do more reading

In Bangkok, at the Institute for International Studies at Ramkhamhaeng University, I am trying to integrate online learning in my classroom teaching.  This integration is a challenge on several levels, but is effective and worthwhile.  My ability and success are a work in progress, but my intention is to apply experiential and integrate learning theory…