A repository for my thoughts, musings, and experiences
A repository for my thoughts, musings, and experiences
America’s wealthiest have disproportionate political influence which undermines democracy, and fuels both authoritarianism and political violence.
Democracy Cannot Survive The Wealth-Power Feedback Loop Read »
If a billionaire makes a charitable donation of $100 million the mathematically equivalent sacrifice for an average person in the bottom 50% is $23. Clearly the “generosity” of the billionaire is an illusion.
By restructuring the Supreme Court, capping wealth, and implementing a wealth tax, we can eliminate taxes on 90% of Americans, create a government that works, and re-awaken the American Dream for everyone.
A Democracy That Works for “We the People:” A Blueprint for Structural Reform Read »
As corporations “are people,” morality and rationality demand that when a corporation maliciously takes many lives, they must pay the same ultimate penalty as when a person maliciously takes a life.
The Corporate Death Penalty: Personhood Must Carry a Capital Consequence Read »
One thousand billionaire families wield more influence over American politics than millions of voters. There is a solution!
Read the words of nearly three dozen people who have tried to warn us that extreme wealth is incompatible with democracy.
Democracy or Zillionaires: History Proves We Can’t Have Both Read »
Healthcare information provided by the federal government is now unreliable as a result of the political influence of President Trump.
Here is a list of public health organizations who provide free evidence-based medical information.
As Congress and the courts succumb to our authoritarian president, the Commonwealth and its citizens stand as the final bulwark in defense of democracy. Massachusetts must deploy proactive legal defenses and—reclaiming our mantle as the Cradle of Liberty—employ extra-legal measures where necessary to reinforce our 250-year experiment before the darkness of autocracy envelops We the People.
Massachusetts’ Final Bulwark: A Proactive Defense Against the Authoritarian Tide Read »
Judicial decisions that are well worth your time to read.
When Judges Speak for the Constitution: Decisions Worth Reading Read »
In this remarkable 1956 film, watch Picasso build, erase, and reinvent paintings in real time, and my frame-by-frame collages capture the moment-by-moment decisions that turn a white canvas into art.
Insights from people with experience, knowledge, and wisdom, in 30 seconds.
I am delighted to report that my wood platter has appeared in the pages of Fine Woodworking magazine.
Democracies crumble gradually, steadily degraded by the deliberate application of the authoritarian playbook and enabled by the public’s willful inaction.
Once lost, citizens rarely regain or retain the freedoms they allowed to slip away.
In moments such as these, silence is complicity.
How to Destroy a Democracy: The Authoritarian Playbook Read »
Our governors must set aside outdated rules, hierarchies, and political conventions—and act fearlessly, swiftly, and aggressively to forge new strategies if we hope to re-establish democracy in America.
Trump: “I’m not joking” about serving a third term. “There are methods which you could do it.”
Please find your nearest rally at NoKings.org
Defend democracy. Disarm 47. Defeat fascism.
American billionaires haven’t just bought private jets—they’ve bought our democracy. America can have democracy or billionaires, but we can’t have both.
Fascism has arrived in America. All pro-democracy Americans must stand up for democracy. Retirees for Democracy—a nonpartisan group of seasoned, principled, and engaged retirees—is ideally suited to help restore democracy in America.
Beyond Left and Right: A Unified Pro-Democracy Movement Read »
Designing Your Retirement is an evidence-based roadmap to a happy, healthy, and fulfilling retirement. Freely available as PDF, EPUB, 90-minute video and in bite size 2-4 minute video clips.
Fascism has come to the USA. It is now essential we all learn vetted techniques that will enable us to restore democracy in America.
Our democracy crisis necessitates that an overwhelming number of Americans immediately participate in the defense of democracy, or your children and grandchildren won’t live in a democracy.
Democracy is not self-sustaining; it requires effort. Our democracy will survive if we stand together, now—before he padlocks the door.
Rally for democracy on 5/29/25 IHaveAnIdea.us/rally
Mass protests are the only way to save our democracy.
Defend Democracy and the U.S. Constitution!
Stand-up for Patriotism and the American Flag!
Become an Ambassador for Democracy!
Defend Democracy and the U.S. Constitution! Stand-up for Patriotism and the American Flag! Read »
Wake up, America—democracy is slipping from our grasp! Only the voice of the people, demanding its preservation, can halt our slide into fascism.
The Demise of America’s Democracy and the Rise of Putin-esque Fascism Read »
Happiness is correlated with “meaningful social relations” and male retirees lose friends when they retire. Retirees must step-up their game if they want to have a happy retirement.
Does the picture frame matter? Is its sole purpose to “present” the art work? Can the frame have its own message?
While capitalism has many benefits, unbridled capitalism threatens our welfare, democracy, planet, and our future. America needs to reassess its reverence for unbridled capitalism.
My favorite photos from 2024 include: dogs, an eclipse, lightning, and an aurora borealis.
A graph is worth 1,000 words. Unfortunately, the public rarely sees the most interesting scientific graphs. Here are 2 dozen interesting graphs about longevity.
A summary of the first and second year of my retirement activities, accomplishments, my future, and has retirement changed me.
A US-Saudi Arabia carrot and stick initiative could force Palestinians and Israelis to either accept a two-state solution or live isolated from the world community.
A Just and Durable Two-State Resolution to an Ancient Conflict Read »
A Solo Road Trip: 7,226 miles, in a Tesla, over 16 days, with two dogs. What could possibly go wrong?
A Solo Road Trip: 7,226 miles, in a Tesla, over 16 days, with two dogs Read »
Whatever misgivings you may have about Harris or Walz, those misgivings pale in comparison to the irrevocable loss of democracy in America.
Upon retiring, many men tend to loose their social circle. In anticipation of this loss, I needed to learn how to mitigate this fate.
On My Failure to Acquire Meaningful Social Relationships Read »
… I realized how fortunate I was to have been adopted into this unique clan. I cannot imagine a more loving extended family.
At this moment, no policy issue, regardless of its importance, is a greater priority to me than the preservation of democracy in America…
Letter to My Political Representatives: Help, Democracy is Slipping Away! Read »
Thank you President Biden, but for the sake of our democratic future, I ask that you endorse Governor Whitmer for President in 2024.
If Massachusetts politicians continue accepting the status quo, the health of many Massachusetts residents will assuredly decline, and worse.
Massachusetts Must Prioritize Health Over Supreme Court Edicts Read »
ChatGPT predicts the winner of the 2024 Presidential election 6 months early. And the winner is…
ChatGPT: The Winner of the 2024 Presidential Election will be… Read »
There are differences between an “artist” and a “maker,” and these differentiating features are best viewed on a spectrum.
In April 2024 The Boston Globe posted an article about my interactive creations on the Somerville Community Path.
Boston Globe Article of My Creations on the Somerville Community Path Read »
During early totality there were two “dawns” occurring concurrently, one to the east and one to the west of the umbra.
Totality’s Duel Dawns: My Great Eclipse Adventure of 2024 Read »
If Massachusetts continues to play by the now defunct politico-judicial rules, we should expect to see many unnecessary American deaths.
We can incentivize entrepreneurs to create safer products in a manner that will prospectively reduce the number of product related deaths.
Designing Your Retirement is a methodology, based on science and personal preferences, which will ensure you have a happy, healthy, and fulfilling retirement.
Although I had never been diagnosed with anxiety, my career as a physician has always entailed a high degree of stress; and this has had consequences.
Righty: I was the responsible one…
Lefty: No, I was the responsible one…
A very brief non-political exploration of cooperativity.
A darkly humorous, sociopolitical, anthropomorphized chronicle of a rafter of turkeys’ sojourn from the Cambridge Common to their roost in Somerville’s Davis Square.
A Fraught Pre-Thanksgiving Turkey Odyssey Through Camberville Read »
An honorable Senator Romney would immediately use his political capital to undercut Senate GOP Leader McConnell and the GOP caucus’ Trumpian agenda by resigning from the Republican Party, declare himself an independent, and caucus with the Senate Democrats as, in Romney’s own words “my (Republican) party really doesn’t believe in the Constitution.”
A fulfilling retirement requires planning. It will not happen spontaneously or when treated as an extended vacation. And I want to get this right the first time…
I choose the Somerville Community Path – Minuteman Bikeway as I appreciate the certainty of knowing that I will see sufficient greenery and/or beauty to ensure that I will feel better when I arrive home.
The Joys of Cycling the Somerville Community Path / Minuteman Bikeway Read »
A 75 minute morning bike ride from Bedford to Boston following a bike path compressed into an 8 minute music video.
A cyclist and a nesting turtle cross paths on the Minuteman Bikeway. The turtle teaches the man a lesson in humility.
I retired early from the profession I loved because the devolution of the healthcare system made it impossible for me to provide care to my patients in a manner which met my standards. Unfortunately the resultant “moral injury” left me leery of again getting involved with our healthcare system.
America is polarized because political paralysis, societal mayhem and worse are the Republican leadership’s only path to power. The GOP has shifted so far to the right that it has now become professional suicide for most Republican Senators and House members to participate in a political compromise.
We can continue as a unified & polarized nation, incapable of addressing our problems or we can look at the data and find a mutually agreeable solution.
United We Fail, Divided We/They Succeed, A Data Driven Solution Read »
Federal judges must be forced to prioritize the health of society ahead of their unhealthy anti-abortion and pro-gun policies. There is a path forward but Blue State Governors must act now!
Governors Must Prioritize Health Above the Supreme Court’s Unhealthful Edicts Read »
Numerous political thinkers are concerned that fascist ideologies have made inroads into America’s political system and fascism is now a serious threat to the future of America’s democracy.
Political Thinkers Who are Concerned That Fascism is Coming to America Read »
I have always loved math and physics, especially when they become obvious in nature.
The best way to ensure a Biden Presidential victory is by creating a National Unity Government with a Republican as Vice President.
A Thought Experiment: Biden’s National Unity Government with a Republican Vice President Read »
Three months into retirement there have been some hits and some misses. My mantra remains “It is now our time.”
MAGA politicians and supporters are using fascist propaganda techniques (The Big Lie, The Firehose of Falsehoods) to polarize society and enfeeble our democracy, as others have done in Turkey, Hungary, and many other former democracies. The future of America’s democracy is no longer a forgone conclusion.
As the Supreme Court has violated its uncodified compact with America it is time for America to reassess the Court’s privileged position in our society.
Our Illegitimate, Illogical, and UnAmerican Supreme Court Read »
If we hope to improve the healthcare of all Americans we must redirect funding away from the CHIPHIT complex and toward entities that prioritize a high quality, low cost, egalitarian healthcare system.
There are policies which will reduce gun deaths and there is a way to implement these changes, at least for the residents of the Blue States, but it requires us to treat the US Supreme Court as a judicial-political entity.
I have always been intrigued by engagement stories. Mine is notable for “I will call you back,” twice.
Like so many others who are considering or entering retirement, I too am worried that…
Obesity is a disease, it is not a result of a failure of will power. We have good therapies that induce significant weight loss and improve overall health.
Democracy in America is no longer inevitable. Act now. Inaction is tantamount to complicity.
The Resolution to Preserve America’s Democracy is the best way to politically nullify Trump and save America’s democracy even though it circumvents some of our sacrosanct legal principles.
As Sept 2022 polling data finds 51% Democrats and 52% Republicans are “almost certain” to vote, these equations predict GOP will win the House of Representatives by 10-17 seats.
The Voter Enthusiasm Gap Predicts the GOP Will Control the House of Representatives Read »
I adopted woodworking as a hobby because it provided a creative outlet and a way to clear my mind from the stress of taking care of patients…
I am honored you trusted me to be your physician and thank you for allowing me to be part of your life.
Hiking the solitude of the Alaskan backcountry induced a moment of cognitive clarity.
Hiking the Alaskan Wilderness Induced a Moment of Cognitive Clarity Read »
Democracy loving Americans should proudly display the American flag in support of the aspirational ideals of the US Constitution.
I want to thank my patients for choosing me to be their physician and for sharing with me the joys and tribulations that life throws at all of us. It was an honor to have been your physician.
Seven weeks before the November 2022 midterm election, President Biden should nominate President Barack Obama as the 10th Justice to the US Supreme Court…
When I was within a few feet of passing on their left they veered in-front of me, forcing me to swerve behind them and to the right, and into the puddle.
An Apology to the Woman I Splashed While Cycling on the Minuteman Bikeway Read »
America should move Presidents Day to Election Day as a means to increase voter participation and celebrate America’s democracy.
The Republican Party has become ”The Party” in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eight-Four.
The Republican Party has become “The Party” of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eight-Four Read »
Massachusetts needs to debate whether there are “red-lines” which, if crossed by the Federal government or the Supreme Court, will trigger the Commonwealth to alter its relationship with the Federal Government.
Federal Red-Lines and Massachusetts’ Relationship to the Federal Government Read »
The decision to remain unvaccinated inflict avoidable healthcare and economic costs on Massachusetts’ vaccinated residents and economy. It is time to make the unvaccinated pay their fair-share.
Covid-19 “Fair-Share” Healthcare Surcharge for the Unvaccinated Read »
A greatly expanded House of Representatives would address Americans’ lack of “social trust” and fix many of the intractable issues which contribute to our dysfunctional Federal government
How to End Gerrymandering, Big Money and Americans’ Distrust of Federal Institutions Read »
As a result of sociopolitical trends, technologic innovations, and insights into human behavior, I believe there is a reasonable probability that President Biden will be the last Democrat to occupied the Oval Office for several decades.
President Joseph Biden, the Last Democratic President!? Read »
Our medical offices are now antiseptic, devoid of educational material and humanity and this adversely impacts a physician’s ability to provide medical care.
A Physician’s Exam Room Should Be Educational and Inviting Read »
The US is progressively falling behind other countries on COVID-19 vaccination rates. My patients tell me the reason is…
Why Patients Refuse the Covid-19 Vaccination – It’s Political, Mostly Read »
Those of us who have obtained the American dream have a moral obligation to use our resources to help make America a country where every child has an equal probability of obtaining the American dream.
All Americans and activist organizations must subjugate their personal and organization’s priorities to the need to ensure America’s democracy survives beyond 2024.
To protect our democracy, Trump must be expeditiously convicted in Federal Court and his conviction affirmed by the Supreme Court. He must then be remanded to prison according to statue.
America must create a mechanism that will prevent the President of the United States from using the big lie propaganda technique before it is too late…
America Needs The Presidential Propaganda Prohibition Act Read »
We should begin the process of repairing America’s distrust of the Federal government by changing the composition of the House of Representatives so that each House member had only 40,000 constituents, similar to the Great Compromise of 1787…
8,300 House of Representatives Will Help Fix America’s Democracy Read »
To reduce Trump’s influence on we must erase his name from the public discourse. Substitute #HeWhoMustNotBeNamed when you intend @realDonaldTrump, Donald Trump, President Trump, or Trump.
Physicians teach their patients the science they must understand to enable them to make informed healthcare decisions. Is it not also a physician’s responsibility to explain the science underlying public health policy and the connection between political choices, public health policies, and their health and longevity?
America’s democracy now hangs in the balance. We can neither allow the criminals to go unpunished nor should we create a legal process that does further damage our fragile democracy.
Governors of the Blue States should create the “Blue State Domestic Ambassador for the Coronavirus Pandemic” to implement a mutually agreeable, multi-year, Blue State Coronavirus Mitigation Plan predicated on Blue-State ethos.
The Blue State Domestic Ambassador for the Coronavirus Pandemic Read »
