Early Retirement for Injured Federal Employees
One often encounters such discussions, about the difference between “wants” and “needs”. Needs are dictated by a loose definition of survival or existence — that which is required by or necessitated of the things which satisfy the criteria for continued existence or maintaining of a given modality of the status quo. The other — “wants” — are defined as those “extras” that are not required for existence, […]
What would be the difference if, in the title of Willa Cather’s novel, “Death Comes for the Archbishop”, she had instead chosen to use the word “to” in replacement of “for”? Would empires have fallen, world wars have been averted or earthquakes and other natural disasters have been delayed? Likely, not; but would the countless minds that have encountered the novel, enjoyed its beautiful prose and admired its humanity […]
Life is mostly dark clouds, with a ray of sunshine briefly upon a small patch of wet grass. Yes, yes – such a perspective is a mirror reflection of the conflict between the “half-full” versus “half-empty” outlook; but is it helpful for young people to posit a world view, a paradigm or, in the philosophical realm of ivory towers, that king of all royalties in linguistic sophistication that is dropped nonchalantly to impress and raise eyebrows – Weltanschauung […]
What happened to them? Where did those once youthful and exuberant conduits taking us beyond the monotony of the present disappear to? When did we allow for “practicality” and “being real”, of “growing up” and “becoming responsible” to usurp the dreams of our youth? Did we misjudge, misunderstand and misapply the principles first taught, and confuse the two concepts – of having a “realistic viewpoint” and abandoning all dreams and hopeful fantasies? […]