The news in this morning's paper--front page--is the same. Retailers are hysterically worried about another "bad Christmas." Consumers have tightened their belts, hidden their credit cards and won't … [Read more...]
Social Issues and Debatable Topics
Time to Think in a Wizard of Oz World
In the movie “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy and her friends–the scarecrow, the lion and the tin man–had one thing they each lacked. The tin man had no heart; the lion, no courage, the scarecrow, no brain; Dorothy, no home. Only Toto, the dog, and the Good Witch and Bad Witch seemed satisfied with their [...]
Passionate People Colliding with Passionate People
It’s very energizing to meet people who share similar interests. It’s like an auto collision without the damage. For me, this week has been a series of “people collisions” as I’ve met mobile professionals in San Francisco at the annual Smaato advertising events. Wednesday night, I was part of a roundtable discussion with app developers, [...]
Insurance and the Risks of Life in an Uncertain Universe
Have you ever thought about why we buy insurance to handle risk in our lives? After purchasing auto, home, health and life insurance, you’ll probably get a sales pitch from an appliance store sales person to insure your washer, dryer and fridge. Walk into an electronics store, like Best Buy, and out you walk with [...]
Health Care Benefits for Congress?
To the Congress of the United States regarding your health care benefits: Over the weekend with the Senate’s narrow but passing vote to “debate” health care legislation, it’s become crystal clear that some members of Congress don’t care about the health care crisis. With a few exceptions, the Republican leadership is unwilling to debate the [...]
Improve Your Blog Writing with Aristotle and your Mom
Writing a personal blog and improving your blog writing is more art than science. A couple of past week’s experiences convince me that if Aristotle were still alive he’d issue harsh criticism to bloggers. I recorded a podcast with one of the top execs at a mobile marketing company. My guest, during the 30 minute [...]
Gulf Oil Spill and Gaia Mother Earth: Time to End the Blame
As we watch the huge slick from the Gulf oil spill spread across the ocean, I’m reminded of the Greek mythological Mother Earth goddess Gaia, made popular in the late 1970′s and, later, in the 1990′s by James Lovelock who wrote the book “Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth.” Lovelock suggested that we [...]
Singing Bringing Tears of Hope in a Troubled World
Today was our annual Christmas concert at Holy Spirit Church in Fremont, California. Holy Spirit is blessed with a youth choir, a parish children’s choir, as well as two other choirs, one singing mostly contemporary pieces and another a variety of contemporary, traditional and classical. Singing offers significant health benefits, such as prolonged life and [...]