I'm baaaaaccccccckkkkkk ....

So nice to be back ... 

After an absence of more than four years, I've decided to resume logging my thoughts and observations via this blog. I was spurred to do this by my son, a second-year student in college. He's in that stage in which he's trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life, and we have had some long discussions about his options, opportunities and future. 

I mentioned to him that his mother and I had seen the movie, "Argo," which chronicles the story of the rescue of six Americans during the 1980-1981 hostage crisis in Iran. I remember that time very well, and I remarked that while different, many things in the middle east have not changed in 30+ years. 

"We haven't learned a goddamned thing," I told him. He replied that I should take my rants and write a blog.

So here I am. 

A lot has changed in the 30 years since the hostage crisis in Iran. Things are a lot more complicated and our reactions/responses are colored in no small part by the events of Sept. 11 2001. 

A lot has also changed in the four years since I last wrote here. Life is a lot more challenging these days, and our country seems divided in ways that it hasn't been since the 1860s. 

 I started writing this blog as a response to local issues and other topics in which I had strong interests and opinions. That hasn't changed, and I look forward to sharing more of the same. 

Stay tuned.