The Effect of Greek Mathematics on the Palladian Villa By John D. Breen Georgia Institute of Technology, College of Architecture March 1999 The effect of mathematics on architecture seems at once obvious and opaque. The apparent significance may be deduced by noting the symmetry inherent in Renaissance structures and in the details of the arches […]
Atlanta, GAMay 15, 2020 Georgia was freed from house arrest several weeks ago. But school is basically done, and our companies have retained work-from-home policies for at least a couple more months. Of course, one of us works for a company based in Ohio, where terms of surrender have been more unconditional. But here, residents […]
Atlanta, GA May 9, 2020 “Happy Friday!”, came the contrived cheer to start another all-day conga line of Zoom meetings. “I’ll take your word for it that it’s Friday”, I replied. Like an extended vacation…but staying home to work rather than traveling for fun…weekdays now run together, each indistinguishable from the last. Weekends provide some […]
Atlanta, GA April 6, 2020 I must reluctantly confess that I used to teach Economics at Stanford. I may as well plead guilty. A mediocre prosecutor, or a first-year Law student, could secure a quick conviction. While pursuing my MBA at the University of San Francisco, I worked a couple semesters as a teaching assistant […]
Atlanta, GAMarch 32, 2020 March is supposed to come in like a lion and out like a lamb. In some sense, this one assuredly did. Roadways, sidewalks, and subways are certainly quieter than they were four weeks ago. And most of us feel as if we’d been sheared. I almost can’t remember what people were […]
Atlanta, GA March 12, 2020 The first thing people usually do at times like this is panic. So at least they’re doing it in the right order. Not that precautionary measures aren’t warranted. Yesterday my company prohibited travel till the first of May, and compelled working from home till the beginning of April. My commute […]
Last week, as I mined the archives, I continued to find older deposits. Some are of pretty low-grade ore. The following sample was written for The University of San Francisco Business Journal in 1995. By John D. Breen – San Francisco, CA October 11, 1995 Communication is to human interrelations as breathing is to life: not the […]
Dublin, OH December 9, 2019 Harry Truman…tired of being told that “on the one-hand” this, “but on the other hand“ that…yearned for someone to bring him a one-armed economist. This week, had he called me, he’d have had his wish. A couple months ago…like a small trickle thru a river levee…a slight twinge began piercing […]
Dublin, OH November 1, 2019 Like a Mideast peace agreement, we know this won’t last. But for now, the weather in central Ohio is beautiful. The summer heat has laid down its arms, the winter chill has yet to fire a shot. Today is All Saints Day (just noting the occasion, not soliciting gifts). Many […]
Columbus, OH October 22, 2019 The very underrated Grover Cleveland left office, but returned four years later to resume his duties. William Howard Taft was shown the door from the White House, but eight years later walked thru that of the Supreme Court. John Quincy Adams condescended to serve nine terms in the House of […]