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 … [Read more...]
Social Issues and Debatable Topics
Young Kid–Birke Baehr–Wows TED Crowd About Food Supply
TED talks and videos, if you’ve seen them, bring incredible, brilliant minds to the world at no cost. I urge you to subscribe to email notifications of current, short videos, also available on iTunes. Birke Baehr, an eleven-year old kid, blew the crowd away speaking about organic vs. our mass-produced meat and other staples. Don’t [...]
How We Spend Our Time as Unemployment Rises
Once again, the researchers are at work with their computer models and statistical flukes. In this case, the Labor Department recently released its 2009 American Time Use Survey telling us how people spend their time. According to the experts, here’s how we’re using our time in hours and minutes (2009/2007): Sleeping (8:40/8:34) Watching TV (2:49/2:37) [...]
Surf Dog Makes Waves Doing What She Loves to Do
Recently I wrote a piece on doing what you like doing to find a a satisfying job and career. My main point: “follow your bliss,” as philosopher Joseph Campbell frequently wrote. Turns out that doing what turns you on also applies to human companions like Surf Dog. You see, Ricochet, who was trained as a [...]
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 [...]
Living in Silicon Valley: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Something is terribly, terribly wrong in Silicon Valley. Probably the rest of the nation too. But, as they say, everything starts in California then heads east. So whatever’s happening here will soon hit your home town if it hasn’t arrived already. This morning’s paper is filled with new and continuing stories related to the economy: [...]
South Dakota Public Radio Memories on the Fourth of July
On the fourth of July, 1976–200 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence–I stood in a corn field on a farm near Brookings, South Dakota. I had just arrived to become Program Coordinator of KESD-FM, an NPR station located on the campus of South Dakota State University. Little did I know that someday [...]
Why Good Humor Keeps Us Sane
In our stressed-out, sometimes troubled lives, it’s soothing to chuckle over good humor. When we tire of bad news on the Web or tube, in fact, an uncontrollable belly laugh may even keep us sane. My sister was kind enough to email me a few good humor one-two liners. Here they are (with a few [...]
High Health Care Costs Due to Lack of Competition
Unlike any other industry in the United States, the health care system is destroying our economy due to lack of competition. Despite all the arguments from health care experts, the “industry,” a confluence of insurance companies, providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, medical technology companies and lobbyists, is responsible for high health care costs. Breaking up the health [...]