Published

5 months ago

October 30, 2025

Alice Rush

When one gets to arguing about the greatest baseball players of all time, or, in this case, the greatest rock guitarist, people’s blood gets to roiling. I’m willing to take that risk, and so here’s my assertion: it’s a three-way tie between Steve Howe of Yes, Jimmy Page of Led Zepplin, and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd.

I’m sure all three became unfathomably rich, but perhaps Gilmour has the best, most heart-warming, story to tell.

(Gilmour) earned so much money that he called it “obscene.” He once said he would wake up in the morning and write cheques to charity — just to make sense of the fortune he had. But one day, he decided to go even further. After selling his London home for £4.5 million, Gilmour gave all the proceeds to Crisis, a charity that supports the homeless. “I don’t need the money and I just thought it would be a good thing to do,” he said humbly.

In his quiet wisdom, Gilmour reflected on the simplicity he longed for: “You collect Ferraris and then you’ve got to collect buildings to house the Ferraris, and then you need more people to look after the people who are looking after things. Life gets very complicated. And eventually, at least in my case, you think, ‘I don’t need this stuff.’ And suddenly life gets simpler.”

I’m sure there are many different reasons to support those least able to support themselves, but simplifying one’s life sounds good to me.

What Some Amazing People Have Done with Their Wealth

Renewable Energy

Is Bullying a Bad Thing? Not if We Want a Society of Brutality

Published

18 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Alice Rush

Does this guy have a solid point?

Is war a bad thing? What about rape and torture?

Do they point to weaknesses that must be strengthened?

Is Bullying a Bad Thing? Not if We Want a Society of Brutality

Renewable Energy

What Makes a President a King?

Published

21 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Alice Rush

Maybe the protestors are less concerned about length of time in office, and more with criminal authoritarianism.

What Makes a President a King?

Renewable Energy

Blaise Pascal, Renaissance Man–Literally

Published

1 day ago

March 28, 2026

Alice Rush

I have such respect for Pascal that I considered naming our son after him. (My wife wasn’t having it. Maybe if we lived in France?)

Pascal made important contributions to both math and physics but he’s perhaps best known for his philosophic “wager,” that it makes sense to believe in God, since if He exists, you’ll be very glad you did, and if He doesn’t, you haven’t lost anything. I counter that this is not how we accept or reject religious tenets.