Category: Society

In Praise of Great Design

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Steve Jobs and Others Have Been on to Something That Makes Our Lives Better

Many years ago, Steve Jobs made it clear to his employees that he was as fixated on design as he was on technology. Stories abound about how he drove people nuts over the smallest design elements. This was as true for packaging as it was for the products in those cleverly designed boxes. That lead has been widely followed now, in many industries.

I recently purchased another Amazon echo dot (we have a house full of these things now).

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“Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain!”

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While We are Fixated on Washington, State Legislatures are Affecting our Lives

 

That title line from the Wizard of Oz for this posting is what some people would like us to think about our state legislatures – pay no attention. There are a lot of powerful people who are fine with people railing against or rallying for something in Congress. It tends to distract us from looking at our state legislatures. That would be a major error on our part. It is my hope that in this coming election season, we are smart enough and focused enough to not let state legislatures operate unengaged by activated citizens.

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Accountability, Atonement, and Forgiveness: The Search is On

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Some Important, Long Standing Wrongs Are Getting Justice. Can We Get This Right?

Some Days It Is Hard to Look in the Mirror, America

This is a blog posting I was not keen on writing. So much is at play around issues involving racism and sexual misconduct. Nothing seems easy to address. A lot of wrongs got a pass for way too long from way too many people. Too many of us live in blissful ignorance of what it is like to be a woman in Hollywood or a black man walking down a street.

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Thinking 3rd Party, True Believer, or Independent Candidate?

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Don’t. Just don’t.

The 2020 elections are off to an early start. On the Democratic side, the candidate roster is creeping up on double digits already. The calendar mark of “too late to get in the race” is likely to come early this time around. For the Republican, there are scenarios involving Trump’s impeachment or resignation. The hunt is on for viable candidates to challenge Trump in the primaries. If someone like the governor of Maryland takes that leap, the challenge could be substantial. Team Trump is hard at work trying to short circuit challenges in the primaries and at the convention.

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Government Shutdowns: Lessons, Morals, Costs, and Opportunities

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  1. There is a lot of pontificating going on about the government shutdown. What was actually important to learn?

 

Well, the government shutdown is behind us – at least for now

President Trump continues to make growling noises about doing it again in a couple of weeks. With this president, who knows? Still, it seems unlikely at this point.

Shutdowns are not new, although this one had some unique wrinkles, as we will discuss. The uniqueness of any one shutdown notwithstanding, there are lessons for anyone who wants to learn them.

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An American Handicap – Peculiar and Self-Inflicted, But Curable

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Our Size, Timeline in History, and Geography Shaped America -for Good and for Ill

 

A LONG time ago, I sat in a political history class in college. I was contemplating American history and current events. The professor had pointed out that there were some unique factors in America’s formation. These made the country we know possible, in the way it has developed. Today, I can see some problems resulting from those early factors.

Size: The first of these factors was that we had a continent on which to grow. Much of it was wilderness.

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Quotes & Quips – Don’t You Wish YOU had Thought of These? Me, too

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Humorous or insightful thoughts to help start the New Year

 

As regular readers know, about once a quarter or so, this site provides a short list of quotes that I find really good, worthy of sharing. Some are profound, some are funny, some are both.

Herewith, the latest offerings to help launch your New Year.  A baker’s dozen for your edification and reflection. Enjoy!

  1. “In our democracy, we govern either by leadership or by crisis. If leadership is willing to take the risks that come with the responsibility of power,

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Is it Time to Turn a Life Page?

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Knowing When It is Time for a Change is an Important Life Skill

 

I enjoyed an opportunity a few days ago that I see more often late. It might be a coincidence of the people around me, or it might be a trend more generally. Either way, it’s a good thing.

This was a farewell for someone who was leaving a job she had enjoyed for years. It turns out she had been thinking for some time that it was time for a life change. She had a good position and enjoyed her coworkers.

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Are We Actually THAT Shortsighted and Selfish?

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Our choices for transportation don’t say much for us

American automotive firms are pretty much getting out of the car business. They are going almost exclusively to trucks and SUVs. They are leaving the automobile market to foreign companies.

One cannot blame them for this – they are going where the market tells them. You and I pretty much determine what General Motors, et al manufacture.

People have gone in this direction on a large scale because gasoline is a bit cheaper these days. Gas is not costly; so, gas mileage is not much of a factor for many of us anymore.

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What Are We Reading? Tips for Finding the Good Stuff

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So Much to Read, So Little Time. Sharing Our Favorites and Shortcuts.

BEFORE WE BEGIN:

(1) This is the first in our new, two posts per week format. I hope you find this a good fit.

(2) Many of you took up the email to share Agents of Reason with friends. Thanks!

(3) Some of you reading this are new readers, thanks to the aforementioned emails. Welcome aboard! We are glad to have you with us and look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Now on to today’s topic:

Thinking About Reading

Last summer,

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