Silence Is Not Always Golden On the silence we choose, and the silence that is chosen for us

Say hello to Sam, the old wise man, and Patch, the wise-ass owl

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Capitalism Isn’t Dying. It’s Failing People. From ancient markets to modern layoffs, a personal case for why the system must evolve

Here's my new Wise Ash essay. I hope you'll read it and engage with it. What I'm writing about touches everyone.

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Stop Looking Away #4 The Ladder, the Treadmill, and the Slide I’ve Lived All Three

Here's my latest Wise Ash Substack essay. It's about my perspective on the economic/societal system in which we live. Thanks for reading, subscribing, and all that you do to support my work.

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Stop Looking Away #3: The First Time I Told the Truth and It Cost Me An essay on wisdom, self-deception, and the cost of seeing clearly—written from a life that spans chaos and power.

Check out my newest Substack post. It's the latest in a series of essays on wisdom, self-deception, and the cost of seeing clearly—written from a life that spans chaos and power.

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Stop Looking Away #2: Most People Don’t Want the Truth—They Want a Version That Lets Them Stay the Same Essays on wisdom, self-deception, and the cost of seeing clearly—written from a life that spans chaos and power.

Here's a new Wise Ash essay I just published on Substack. Part of my Stop Looking Away series.

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Wise Ash with Rod Thorn (@rodthorn) Here’s my newest Wise Ash essay. It’s first in a series called Stop Looking Away, where I explore wisdom, self-deception, and how to see and act with clarity. I hope you like it. Thanks in advance for...

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Who is Sam Hill? As in, “What in the Sam Hill is going on here?”

The keyboard on my laptop has apparently decided the letter “t” is unnecessary because it’s dropping the letter from everything I type.

So I’m writing this on my phone to let my laptop know I’m on to its tricks, and I’m not going to let it get away with it. This is a public shaming.

I hate it when companies do that

Choose Wrong and You're Screwed Where did my fear of making mistakes come from, and how do I get over it?

My newest Substack essay. With a hint of what's to come.

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The Legend of Chiquita My constant companion for 17 years

Snow outside, and I'm inside writing, wishing my childhood beagle were at my side. #dogs #pets open.substack.com/pub/rodthorn...

U.S. Economy Was Vulnerable Before War With Iran

If the United States were a company, this would be a terrible earnings report. When it happens this early in the year, and you get a message from the CFO to cut all "unnecessary" spending, it's bad. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/13/b...

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A Particular Set of Skills
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Kristi is Noem More. Finally.

The Wise Ash with Rod Thorn (@rodthorn) Today is my 66th birthday. I rarely tell people when it’s my birthday because I don’t want to draw attention to myself. Plus, I always want my birthday to be less about me and more about my mother a...

Today is my 66th birthday.

Rather than write a new post today, I thought I’d share this essay I wrote one year ago today.

Oh, and here’s a picture of me with my mother at someone’s wedding (not mine) about 40 years ago.

Thanks for reading.

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Punks, Knuckleheads, and Me When I realized I'd become Clint Eastwood

Well, I do feel lucky. Thanks to everyone who cares and takes the time to read, like, comment, share, follow, and best of all, subscribe to what I write. I'm baring my innermost thoughts much of the time, and even a silent nod of the head or 'sup helps.
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The Four Sisters of the Apocalypse Don't worry, be hippie

I'm sure some of you can identify with this road trip from the 60s. I write a lot on Substack. Please go there and read this essay. Thanks.

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Get him

The Wise Ash with Rod Thorn (@rodthorn) This Epstein thing is really getting to me. I want instant karma!

Here's my newest essay. This topic is bigger than any of us can imagine, and it goes far beyond politics. I didn't want to write about it, but it seems I had to. To think that people will read it and respond is very gratifying. Thank you. #epstein #abuse #sextrafficking

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Colleen McCullough was an Australian novelist, a professor of neurology at Yale University, and the author of The Thorn Birds, one of the best-selling books in history.

And yet, on this day in 2015, this is how they start her obituary. This is shameful.
#sexism

Gurwinder (@gurwinder) Nicholas Winton helped 669 Jewish children escape the Nazis. His efforts went unrecognized for 50 years. Then in 1988, while sitting as a member of a TV audience, he suddenly found himself surrounded ...

This is one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen. The man is a hero.

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If the federal government invokes the Insurrection Act, the Minnesota National Guard personnel currently deployed by the state would be removed from the governor’s command and control, and become part of the federalized force under Trump’s authority. This is a scary scenario and it may happen soon.

This Time Tries My Soul Tyranny is not easily conquered

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Thanks. Helps to have context.

When I see “Barron Trump Called U.K. Police After Witnessing Woman ‘Getting Beat Up on Video Call” I’m skeptical. It sounds like PR people “planted” the story with the media to humanize him and burnish his reputation. I hope I’m wrong and he DID do that. But it’d be out of character in that family.

Please tell him thank you from all of us who appreciate him for standing up for what’s right.

Ear Today, Gone to Maui I need hearing aids, and I'm getting them

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I REALLY want to know this. In addition, whether they rioted or not, how many Proud Boys, Oathkeepers, 3 percenters, and other far right domestic terrorists have they hired.