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As noted in a previous article, we consider the 2020 Presidential election to be the most important since 1864. It seems clear that the United States is at a crossroads in it’s history. We can keep striving toward a more perfect Union based on traditional values, or...
Two years ago more than a dozen expats were detained by a repressive overseas government. Aside from being separated from others and having to endure intense interrogation sessions, some of which lasted for weeks, their digital devices were confiscated. They were also...
Some weeks are better than others. I suppose that’s true for everyone. This was a challenging week for me early on. I had a heavier workload than usual, and although things were completed well my heart was just a bit “off.” Part of it may have to do with all the...
Relatively few individuals serve in low-visibility roles in challenging international locations. Those who do know the importance of understanding the culture of those among whom they operate. We address this in Topic 01.01.02 of the Panoplia.org Soft Skills and...
The word “enemy” has an interesting etymological background. In some classical languages the literal meaning is “not a friend.” And yet, in usage the term generally refers to being hateful toward another and seeking to cause harm. For the purposes of this article,...
My first work within an Islamic country began in 1986. For the most part I was based in a large urban area. There were a fair number of other westerners around, and therefore I didn’t attract too much attention from the authorities. Things changed, however, during my...
Today is a special day for our family. Our twenty-eight-year-old son is getting married this afternoon. Our Daughter, now twenty-nine, was married just about two years ago. We dearly love our son-in-law, and our soon-to-be daughter-in-law. We are truly thankful to the...
In some ways the year 2020 may end up being among the most challenging since the Great Depression in the 1930s or World War II in the 1940s. Children who grew up during those times had to cope with things that were in many ways outside the norm for times before or...
The Hebrew word often translated as “rebellious” in the Old Testament seems to have at its root the sense of bitterness. This makes sense. Those who rebel against something, such as authority, are not happy with the way things are. They want change. The difference...
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