The NU Blog Page

Aside from appreciating the splendor of the sun during a beautiful sunrise or sunset, many rarely consider how special, necessary, and finely tuned our sun is to support life on Earth. Like the hub of a wheel, our sun plays an essential role in the activity of our solar system and Earth’s unique ability to…

You never know how far a small investment might go. I recently discovered a small cardboard box full of old stationery and cards that have never been used but were tucked away in a forgotten far corner of my desk. Hiding among the papers was a little card with this on the back. It had…

Why is context important to sound biblical interpretation? During World War II, fighter planes often returned from battle riddled with bullet holes. The Allies analyzed the litany of data and mapped the areas that were most commonly struck by enemy fire. In an effort to bolster resiliency for flying combat missions, engineers sought to reinforce…

I have fond memories of my grandmother’s old cooking pan. During the summer of 1965, I worked at a natural gas plant near where my Grandma Thyssen lived. It was a wonderful period of weekend bonding during which I would mow her lawn and she would tell me stories of what it was like back…

Move Toward the Enemy: Fighting for Truth in Science! Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause. — Abraham Lincoln We celebrate Veterans Day on the anniversary of…

“Delight in Him from whom you have received everything that delights you.”                                                               Augustine Today we are celebrating, at least in the United States, the Thanksgiving holiday. It is a time for remembering what we have been blessed with: physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. A friend of mine recently approached this by focusing on…

Have you ever wondered about the halls of power? This evening my wife and I viewed Part 1 of a PBS special on the history of efforts to address climate change. It covered the period from the 1980s through the mid-1990s, long after we had left the energy business. Special attention was given to both the…

What is in the anatomy of a crisis? While crises come in all flavors, they share some common characteristics.  Typically, crises are sudden and unexpected; they are important to the one affected and produce significant consequences.  Usually, a crisis will also involve some form of loss.  Our lives are, quite simply, disrupted.  I suspect that…

In the heart of the Shenandoah Valley in the Commonwealth of Virginia resides a small school with a unique history—the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). One distinctive aspect of the school is the enduring legacy left by a former faculty member. During cadets’ tenure at VMI, they frequently pass the former quarters of Matthew Fontaine Maury,…

Kathmandu When I knew that I was definitely going to Nepal, all I could think of was the old Bob Seger song, Katmandu. If you are familiar with it or never heard of it, I like this YouTube version, and you can check it out here. The video in the link shows what Kathmandu looked…