Initial Thoughts on Our World in 3-D Blog

As an observer of our culture, an avid follower of the news and opinions of the day and one who acknowledges opinions of his own, I am initiating this blog. Here, I can share my thoughts on issues of our times, on observations and experiences that often change our lives and on my family life. Never too personal, don’t expect me to reveal secrets that, by their very nature, should and will remain hidden; but where I feel that others may benefit from my experiences, whether positive or negative, I will share them.

Because I was born and reared in the capital of New World history, Pensacola, Florida (discovered in 1559, six years prior to St. Augustine, FL), my interest in the past, where we have been and where we are headed naturally flourished. So I majored in history in college, and am, by nature, a history buff. In part, that interest is also rooted and grounded in a quotation by George Santayana: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” I am convinced that if we only look back to the experiences of our forebears, we can often avoid many of the pitfalls that appear in our paths toward personal, cultural and political fulfillment. Thus it is only fitting that we recognize the contribution of history to our lives so that our mass consciousness is not distorted and our cultural behavior not deviant.

It is my hope that you will find this blog interesting, stimulating and, perhaps sometimes, even controversial. I welcome reactions; however, not reactions based solely on emotion but rather on fact and/or a belief system that incorporates both fact and faith as fundamental structures.

If there are subjects about which you might wish for me to write, simply share a comment on the blog. I will do my best to offer whatever constructive observations I can with respect to the subject.

Here’s hoping that our future together can be a mutual learning experience.

JRT
May 14, 2009