Recent Writings
Here are the latest original writings published on the site. If you'd prefer to read on Medium or Substack, see the list of Cross Posts.
Step by Step
I’ve been a fan of Jesse Winchester’s for a long time, but hadn’t really paid much attention to this gem until I stumbled across it a few days ago. It’s a fine addition to Winchester’s small but accomplished set of songs about god and religion.
11 Sep 2024 · Appreciation
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Ring Them Bells
This is a gem of a Dylan song: not a big, gaudy rock, but a modest yet finely wrought masterpiece. I find Dylan’s original version to be a bit slow and somnolent, but the song comes alive for me when I hear Sarah Jarosz sing it.
16 Jul 2024 · Appreciation
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Five Takeaways from the First 2024 Presidential Debate
Everyone’s got their opinions about the debate last night, so I suppose I may as well share mine.
28 Jun 2024 · Essay
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Some Hard Truths About Human Population Growth
From one billion to eight billion in two hundred years. Is it really sustainable for our planet to try to support so many people?
25 Apr 2024 · Essay
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Reflections on the Christian Message
As I’ve confessed on previous occasions, I don’t really think of myself as a Christian, although I was raised by at least one parent who was a reliable Methodist for most of her life. But I’ve been reflecting on the Christian message recently, and since Christmas is approaching, I suppose there’s no better time of year for this sort of contemplation. When I think of the overarching message of Christ, three central concepts stand out for me.
04 Dec 2023 · Essay
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They All Laughed
I first heard this song as part of the soundtrack to a movie with the same name, made by Peter Bogdanovich in 1981. The movie is worth watching, if you like quirky (as I generally do), but it was the song that stuck with me. This was really my introduction to the songs of George and Ira Gershwin, with George supplying the music, and brother Ira providing the lyrics.
31 Oct 2023 · Appreciation
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Managing Our Identity Stacks
While reading David R. Samson’s book Our Tribal Drive I came across a new concept, called an identity stack. This seems to be a really useful way to think about our identities, and how they are constructed.
29 Sep 2023 · Essay
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A Universal Improvement Process
These are the elements of a generalized improvement process, integrating components of natural selection, the scientific method and various disciplines for product and process improvement.
13 May 2023 · Essay
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Keeping to the Cackle with AI
Producing speech that sounds meaningful but has no genuine thought behind it is nothing new – humans have been doing this for years, without any help from newfangled chatbots.
31 Mar 2023 · Essay
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The Four Essential Attributes of any Organization
In order to survive and thrive, any organization must possess the following four characteristics: Identity, Integrity, Differentiation, and Profitability.
08 Feb 2023 · Essay
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