Category: Society

The Problems with Names and Pronouns

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Two Trends are Understandable But Problematic

First, a Disclaimer

I am about to embark on a couple of topics that could lead to some misimpressions on where I stand on certain social issues. I will try to dispel any such perceptions when discussing the rationale for the trends noted below.

Just to be clear at the outset:

  • When people get married, I think they should be able to call themselves pretty well anything they like. That is their business.
  • When someone has issues of gender identity and related concerns I support them trying to wrestle this to a solution,

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The Main Lessons from Last Tuesday’s Election

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There is a Lot of Noise Out There. Let’s Boil It Down

 

How Bad Was It for the Democrats?

 

Well, it sure wasn’t swell. But a bit of perspective takes some of the edge off.

Let’s start with the Virginia governor’s race. Virginia has an odd law that governors cannot succeed themselves. In the long history of that state, only two people have ever come back and won a second term after leaving office. In addition, the party that won the presidency loses the governorship in Virginia about 99% of the time.

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Why Halloween Was a Big Deal This Year

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Probably More So for Adults Than Kids

 

The Evolution of Halloween

Halloween has been around for a long time, in one form or another. Much of this is rooted in more ancient celebrations that are generally known as All Souls Day. This earlier celebration goes back at least 3,000-4,000 years in a number of cultures.

In Mexico, the belief is that on midnight the 30th of October, the souls of the departed come back for a brief visit. Relatives go all out making alters and laying out food and other items to welcome them back,

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A Different Approach for Aid Money

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Just Give the Damn Stuff Away – Turns Out, That Works

 

Ethical and Practical Reasons Governments Help People

Just to set the stage for this discussion, let’s remind ourselves why governments assist those who are less fortunate at some point in their lives. There are, of course, many reasons, but two tend to be the most prevalent:

It’s the Right and Moral Thing to Do: Most cultures and religions have a core belief that we should help others who are in various states of need. This is especially true for children,

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The Passing of Colin Powell Merits Reflection by All of Us

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He would be the first to say Life is Complicated- And Its All Connected

An Extraordinary American Has Left Us

Colin Powell’s passing has led to a steady flow of 1:1 stories and reflections on his life that remind us all of some important things. You could have zero background or interest in military or diplomatic affairs, and yet learn much from Powell’s life. I certainly have done so.

The Many Roles of Colin Powell

 Powell saw himself first and foremost as an American. To him, that title carried with it special advantages and specific obligations.

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A Few Things in our “System” That Make Zero Sense

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Hmmm – Half of These are Rooted in the US Senate

 

It’s a Good Time to Take Stock of Some of Our Old Standbys

The news over the last year or so has given us some vivid reminders of some elements of our national governance system really seem out of whack. Some have always been so; others have risen to the top of this list  recently.

Although we look at such things through partisan lenses, at least to some degree, a case can be made that no matter your political persuasion,

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Revisiting An Old American Curse/Blessing

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Getting Individual vs Community Balance Has Always Been Tough – Now We Seem Lost

 

Schools of American Thought

America has an interesting, to put it mildly, mix of philosophies about how we relate to each other, the country, and to ourselves as individuals. As we cruise deeply into the 21st Century the two main approaches to such relationships seem in sharp contrast, contributing to much of the current social and political tension.

Terms like Rugged Individualism, Natural Law, and Community Responsibility are wielded like shields – or as swords. Let’s take a relook at our approach to each other as a nation.

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Novel Approaches For Use of Federal Dollars

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Federal Dollars are Investments in the Country. How are Our Returns on Those Investments? Looking at Two Cases

Money is Money – But There are Differences

Most of us intuitively understand the big themes around money, whether it is about ours, business, or government funds. But there are important differences among those categories.

I spent much of my career in the government, as an Army officer. For much of that time, what I concentrated on in using resources was maximum effectiveness in known situations, maximum insurancein unknown situations.  When I first joined the corporate sector,

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The Mystery and Power of Language

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We Sometimes Forget What a Powerful Thing Language Can Be

What Do We Mean by Language?

For a long time, when we thought of language we thought of word-based communications between human beings. One of those things that separated us from the rest of the animal kingdom. Now, of course, we are learning that this was our ignorance showing itself. It seems almost daily that we learn of communication between critters of all kinds that go beyond just particular sounds.

The basic definition holds – a system of communication that may be verbal,

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Is There Anything in Transportation Better Than a Train Ride?

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No. There is Not Anything Even Close.

A Life-Long Love Affair Continues

I suppose I tipped my hand a bit in the opening lines for this post. I do indeed love just about everything related to trains. There have been times when AMTRAK tested that love mightily (more on that later, with  good news).

Much of my life has been spent in one form of transit or another. A lot of it in airplanes (sometimes landing with them, sometimes jumping out before they landed). More miles than I can count on roads and highways,

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